Ask Chris - When Should I Replace My "30-Year" Roof?

Q. My house was built in the late 90s and it has a "30 Year" asphalt shingle roof. We've had some blow-off problems, but we won't have to replace it anytime soon, right?

A. Actually, we've just re-roofed a number of homes that were built in that period - all with "30 Year" roofs. No matter what the name implies, the real lifespan for most asphalt composition roofing is about 10 or 15 years, so you're probably approaching the end of the service life of your roof, and those blow-off problems are certainly evidence of that. If you're planning on staying in your home, you're going to be facing a re-roofing decision soon and certainly before those 30 years are up! You can avoid a similar problem in the future by upgrading to a quality metal roof. Not only will it offer superior resistance to high winds - no more shingles littering the lawn - but it also means you won't be re-roofing in another few years. Our metal roofing materials come in an array of styles and colors, so it's certainly worth your time to investigate.

For a more thorough discussion of advertised and actual service lives of a variety of roofing materials, get your copy of our homeowner's guide to re-roofing, available for download on our website.